We must explore all avenues to get to the root of a problem. According to an African proverb, "A wise man follows the advice of his neighbors, but a fool trusts his own illusions." The final episode on the theme of mental health discussion on the Pansa Pansa Podcast is about mental illness and addiction. It is a delight to have Dr. Olawale Ojo as a guest to bring his expertise to our diaspora community as a psychiatrist specializing in addiction. The purpose of this episode is to elaborate on the intersection between mental illness, addiction, and cultural stigma among Africans in the diaspora and mainly how these factors affect our youth as well as family relations. In the past three episodes on mental health awareness, we have dived into the diversity of engaging topics. During our discussion, Dr. Ojo shared the story of his humble beginning, which came from dedicated parents and community mentors who empowered and believed in him. He talked about growing up in a society where mental illness is often misinterpreted and ill-treated, which he stated resulted in his interest in psychiatry.

Bio:

Dr. Olawale Ojo began his medical journey at Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, where his passion for mental health first took root. After earning his medical degree, he embarked on an exciting adventure to Brooklyn, New York, completing his general psychiatric residency at Interfaith Medical Center. It was there that he discovered his calling in addiction psychiatry. Driven to make a meaningful impact, Dr. Ojo moved to Indiana, Indiana University (IU), to specialize in addiction psychiatry. His commitment to helping those struggling with addiction led him to his current roles as the associate program director of the IU Addiction Psychiatry treatment program and the medical director of the IU Methodist Addiction Treatment and Recovery Center (ATRC).

In these roles, Dr. Ojo is dedicated to developing innovative inpatient consult addiction services, an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and a dual diagnosis outpatient clinic. His work is not just a career but a mission to transform lives and provide hope to those in need. When he's not busy mentoring residents and leading community efforts related to addiction treatment and mental health awareness, Dr. Ojo enjoys spending quality time with his family and playing video games. His dedication to his patients and community is truly inspiring, making him a beloved figure in addiction psychiatry.

Our conversation starts by exploring Dr. Ojo's experience as an immigrant in America, navigating an educational system quite different from Nigeria's educational system, adapting to a job that many may consider demeaning, and how these experiences shaped the person he is today. We then dived into stigma-sounding mental illness, traditional practices, and how reliance on non-scientific methods of treatment affects the long-term outcomes for individuals with mental illness. We further discuss how cultural biases on mental illness and/or parents' lack of relationship with their children within African immigrant communities may affect the recognition of the symptoms of mental illness in their children. We discussed mental illness and different types of addiction, specifically substance use, technology, gambling, and food, that may be more widespread or misunderstood in African immigrant families. Finally, we discussed solutions and resources available and how community leaders, as well as organizations, can help break the stigma around mental illness and addiction. Dr. Ojo provides extensive advice to parents who suspect their child may be struggling with mental illness and/or addiction.

Call for action:

A. Please share this episode with others who may benefit from it

B. Normalizing discussing mental health openly

C. Seek help if you or someone you know is struggling with addiction and/or mental illness by calling 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.